Isolated mucins and different microorganisms, and methods of use

Abstract

A method of altering intercellular interactions between a combination of microorganisms includes contacting a combination of different species of microorganisms with at least one mucin. Isolated compositions include a combination of microorganisms and at least one mucin. One microorganism of the combination inhibits cell growth or promotes cell death of at least one other microorganism of a different species in the combination. The combination of microorganisms with the mucin results an increase in cell growth or a reduction in cell death, respectively, of the at least one other microorganism.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of altering ex vivo intercellular interaction between different species of microorganisms that intercellularly inhibit cell growth or intercellularly promote cell death, or both, comprising the steps of:
 a) combining, ex vivo, the microorganisms with at least one mucin, thereby altering at least one of the intercellular inhibition of cell growth and the intercellular promotion of cell death of at least one microorganism of a different species in the ex vivo combination, wherein the microorganisms include at least one member selected from the group consisting of a bacterium, an archaeon and a fungus, and wherein intercellular inhibition of cell growth or intercellular promotion of cell death, or both, is altered in at least one microorganism selected from the group consisting of a bacterium, an archaeon and a fungus; and 
 b) desiccating the ex vivo combination of microorganisms and at least one mucin. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ex vivo intercellular interaction that is altered is inhibition of cell growth. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ex vivo intercellular interaction that is altered is promotion of cell death. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mucin is at least one member selected from the group consisting of a gastric mucin, a salivary gland mucin, and a respiratory tract mucin. 
     
     
       5. A desiccated composition comprising an ex vivo combination of microorganisms of different species and at least one isolated mucin, wherein the ex vivo combination of microorganisms of different species includes at least one microorganism that intercellularly inhibits cell growth or promotes cell death, or both, of at least one microorganism of a different species in the combination in the absence of the at least one isolated mucin and includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a bacterium, an archaeon and a fungus, and wherein intercellular inhibition of cell growth or intercellular promotion of cell death, or both, is altered in at least one microorganism selected from the group consisting of a bacterium, an archaeon and a fungus. 
     
     
       6. The desiccated composition of  claim 5 , wherein at least one microorganism of the combination intercellularly inhibits cell growth of at least one other microorganism in the combination in the absence of at least one isolated mucin. 
     
     
       7. The desiccated composition of  claim 5 , wherein at least one microorganism of the combination promotes cell death of at least one other microorganism in the combination in the absence of at least one isolated mucin. 
     
     
       8. The desiccated composition of  claim 5 , wherein the isolated mucin is at least one member selected from the group consisting of a gastric mucin, a salivary gland mucin, and a respiratory tract mucin.